Typewriter ribbon spool



April 30, 1963 J. F. KLOSKI TYPEWRITER RIBBON SPOOL 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1962 BY 5 fiawfi ATTORNEYS April 30, 1963 J. F. KLOSKI 3,087,593

. TYPEWRITER RIBBON SPOOL Filed Jan. 22, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.5

Fig.7

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS JOHN F. K OSKI s. QM, BY 5 @BQALQK K April 30, 1963 J. F. KLOSKI TYPEWRITER RIBBQN SPOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 22, 1962 Fig.9

INVENTOR JOHN F. 363m M M,

ATTORNEYS United States Patent McBee Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,749 9 Claims. (Cl. 197-175 This invention relates broadly to an improved spool construction and more particularly to a molded plastic spool for a flexible non-metallic tape such as a typewriter ribbon or the like.

Through the years ribbon spools have customarily been made from sheet metal stampings, usually three or more, necessitating assembly and painting to produce the finished spool. These are relatively costly and are characterized by inherent disadvantages that render them something less than completely satisfactory. For example, the several parts of the spool, being stampings, occasionally are left with one or more burrs around the flange edges or along the edge of holes punched in the flanges which sometimes snag the ribbon resulting in improper winding thereof.

Other disadvantages arise from the necessity of providing means for anchoring the free end of the ribbon to the core or hub of the spool. One expedient is to provide a sharp ribbon barb adapted to impale the ribbon end and thus anchor it to the hub. Bearing in mind that such ribbons are made from closely woven yarns of silk, nylon or like material and are impregnated or coated with a somewhat greasy ink, it will be apparent that the ribbon can be so impaled only with some degree of effort on the operators part with the usual result of soiled fingers. Furthermore, as the ribbon barb is customarily arrow-shaped, removal therefrom can only be effected with some degree of difficulty again causing soiled fingers.

Another customary manner of anchoring the ribbon to the spool is the provision of an anchor post secured to one of the flanges and extending therefrom parallel to the flange axis toward the other flange. In one form the post is somewhat shorter than the distance between the flanges so that a loop at the ribbon end may be worked between the flanges, over the free end of the post and then downwardly along the post until the loop is caught. This anchoring method is somewhat laborious, does not result in a completely secure anchor and entails soiling of the fingers. In another form the length of the post is about the same as the distance between the flanges, the upper flange having an opening extending inwardly from its rim and exposing the upper end of the post thus to facilitate threading the ribbon loop over the post. While this obviates some of the difficulties inherent in the provision of the short post, it nevertheless, necessitates as does also the short post, the provision of a permanent loop at the ribbon end, formed by riveting or otherwise securing the free end of the ribbon to the run thereof or by fixing a metal loop or hook thereon. When the very great number of ribbons produced and sold annually is considered, the cost of providing such a loop at each end of the ribbon becomes apparent. Examples of such spools may be found in US. patents to Helmond 856,254 and Hart 2,486,473.

Other anchoring means such as metal clamps, pins, adhesives, etc., have been tried but with little or no commerical acceptance because of high cost and insecure anchoring.

In more recent years the trend has been toward the use of plastics rather than sheet metal in the manufacture of ribbons spools. By molding the spools from a plastic material, costs are materially reduced but anchoring difflculties are increased. Where a ribbon barb is used on a plastic spool it is almost impossible to mold the point of the barb with suflicient sharpness to penetrate the ribbon with any degree of ease. The irksome soiling of the operators fingers also obtains. If the plastic spool is provided with an anchoring post the same ribbon loop problems, as in the case of the metal spools, remain.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a ribbon spool that obviates these disadvantages and difiiculties in a thoroughly practical and economic manner while at the same time providing a spool that is sturdy and highly eflicient in use. Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the drawing wherein I have shown two embodiments of the invention together with several modifications of a portion thereof and wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a cabinet perspective view of the spool;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view, partially in horizontal section, of the spool;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3A is a schematic view showing the ribbon substantially unwound from the spool;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of the spool showing a portion of the lever that actuates the ribbon reversing mechanism;

FIGURES 5-8 are fragmentary perspective views of different forms of the ribbon anchor post forming a part of the spool;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary exploded isometric View of another form of the spool; and

FIGURE 10 is a horizontal section taken along line 1019 of FIGURE 9.

In accordance with my inventive concept, the spool is integrally molded from a suitable plastic material, such as styrene, for example, and has a pair of spaced concentric flanges joined by a reel about which the ribbon is wound. The reel is provided with at least one recess, which extends inwardly toward but short of the reel axis, and disposed within this recess and integral with at least one of the flanges is a ribbon anchor post whose axis is parallel to the reel axis. This post is provided with two or more vertical edges which are preferably roughened, as by serrations or other forms of dentation for example, thus to offer substantial frictional resistance against relative movement between the post and the fabric of a ribbon loop disposed around and pulled taut against the post edges. Also the vertical edges of the reel recess are preferably similarly roughened for the same purpose. Thus when a ribbon is looped around the post, with the free end of the ribbon underlying the run thereof, against the Winding surface of the reel and the ribbon is pulled tight as it begins to Wind on the reel, the fabric of the ribbon is gripped by one or more of the post edges and one of the recess edges thus positively precluding relative movement between the ribbon and the reel. The spool is also provided with a ribbon reversing mechanism lever adjacent the reel surface engageable and disengageable by the ribbon as it is wound on and unwound from the reel. This lever is angularly spaced a sufficient distance from the post so as to be disengaged by the ribbon during unwinding thereof while a substantial amount of the ribbon remains wound on the reel between the lever and post. This assures activation of the ribbon reversing mechanism before there is any possibility of the grip between the ribbon and the post and recess edges being weakened. Thus the anchor remains firm at the time the spool is reversed. Also, as will more clearly appear from the following description, handling of the inked ribbon by the operator is entirely or almost entirely dispensed with.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly to FIG- J URES 1-4 thereof wherein one embodiment of the invention is shown, the spool (FIGURE 1) comprises a pair of concentric spaced flanges 2t) and 21, a hub or reel generally indicated at 22 and a ribbon anchor post generally indicated at 23, these several parts being integrally molded from a suitable plastic such as styrene. The spool has suitably attached thereto a ribbon reversing mechanism lever, generally indicated at 24 (FIGURE 4); the details of this lever and the manner in which it is mounted on the spool are shown and described in detail in US. patent to Heinrich 2,880,841.

As shown in FIGURE 2, reel 22 includes a hollow core 64 and a concentric ribbon winding rim or surface 25 which are integrally interconnected by spokes 26 and 27 and walls 28 and 29 of a well or recess 30. Recess walls 28 and 29 extend generally radially inwardly from reel surface 25 to core 64, the bottom of the recess being curved as at 36a. The entrance edges 31 and 32 of recess walls 28 and 29, where the walls join reel surface 25 are provided with frictional ribbon engaging surfaces which may be conveniently formed by pointed serrations or other forms of dentation molded or otherwise formed in the edges, these frictional surfaces being provided for a purpose described hereinafter.

As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 ribbon anchor post 23 is preferably wholly disposed within recess 39 and is integrally molded with lower flange 21, extending upwardly therefrom to a point just short of the inner surface of upper flange 20, the upper flange being provided with an access opening 20a overlying post 23 for a purpose to be described. Post 23 is generally semi-conical in form to provide an arcuate inner side 23a and an outwardly facing side 23b which is preferably concave but may, if desired, be fiat. Inner side 23a is suitably spaced from recess bottom 30:; and is formed by a suitable number of arcuate surfaces 34 diminishing in diameter from the bottom up to provide shoulders 35, these surfaces and shoulders in turn forming with post side 23b a pair of frictional ribbon engaging edges or surfaces 36 and 37 characterized, in effect, by pointed serrations 38. While post 23 is shown with its side 2311 facing outwardly, it is to be understood that, if desired, the attitudes of post sides 23a. and 2312 may be reversed without affecting the purpose for which edges 36 and 37 are provided. It should further be noted that post 23 is preferably so located as to be angularly displaced 180 from reversing lever 24 (see FIGURE 3).

While post 23 is shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 as generally semi-conical with stepped inner side 23a and generally flat outer side 23b, the configuration of the post may be widely varied as shown in FIGURES 8. Thus, the post 23A (FIGURE 5) may be triangular in cross section having, accordingly three vertical edges that may be serrated or otherwise roughened as desired. Whether rough or smooth, it has been found that these edges have substantial frictional ribbon engaging capacity. Or the post 238 (FIGURE 6) may be rectangular in cross section, again providing a plurality of effective frictional ribbon engaging edges. As shown in FIGURE 7, the post 23C may be slotted to receive a loop in the end of a ribbon, or, as shown in FIGURE 8 the post 23D may be generally semi-cylindrical and provided with vertical smooth (not shown) or roughened vertical ribbon engaging edges. The ribbon post 23 may thus advantageously take any one of several configurations, the criterion being the provision of frictional ribbon engaging edges or surfaces that securely anchor a loop formed in the end of a ribbon. It is to be understood that where reference is hereinbefore or hereinafter made to frictional ribbon engaging edges it is intended to describe either a sharp elongated edge or one provided with serrations or other means forming a plurality of sharp projections.

With reference to FIGURES 2 and 3 a ribbon R, whose thickness is exaggerated in FIGURES 2 and 3 for clarity, is installed on and anchored to the spool in the following manner. The operator (FIGURE 2) forms a loose loop L, holding the loop between the fingers so that the free end F of the loop underlies the run X of the ribbon when the loop L is installed on post 23 (see FIGURE 3). With loop L so formed, the operator passes it through access opening 29a in upper flange until the loop embraces post 23 and lies in the space between the post and recess bottom 300. With the loop so placed, its free end F engages side 23a of the post frictional ribbon engaging edge 32 of recess 30 and rests against winding surface 25 of reel 22 underlying the run X of the ribbon. At the same time, the other or run side of loop L engages frictional ribbon engaging edge 36 of post 23, angling sharply therefrom to pass over recess edge 32 and bind the free end of loop L against reel surface 25 as the run X of the ribbon is wound on the reel surface. As the run of the ribbon is pulled taut the value of the frictional engagement between the ribbon and the several ribbon engaging edges is increased to a point where the ribbon is anchored to the spool so firmly as to preclude any possibility of the loose loop being pulled free of the spool.

As noted above, post 23 is preferably angularly spaced from reversing lever 24. Thus, with reference to FIGURE 3A, wherein the ribbon is shown substantially unwound from the spool, the spool rotating in the direction of the arrow, ribbon run X has disengaged reversing lever 24 permitting the lever to actuate the ribbon reversing mechanism, causing reverse rotation of the spool at a point where the free end F of ribbon loop L is still firmly held against the reel surface and the loop portions are still firmly engaging the several frictional ribbon engaging edges. Hence the spool rotation is reversed well before there is any possibility of the ribbon run disengaging the loop end and permitting the loop to be pulled free of the anchor post 23. It should be noted that by angularly spacing post 23 and lever 24 180", the spool may be used as a right hand or left hand spool with equal facility.

It will now appear that the ribbon may be securely anchored to the spool in a manner requiring a minimum of ribbon handling and finger soilage.

In FIGURES 9 and 10 is shown another embodiment of the invention, this form of ribbon spool being preferable under certain circumstances as it can be loaded with a ribbon without the operator having to touch the ribbon at any time. Certain other advantages inhere in this form of the spool as will be pointed out below.

As shown in FIGURE 9, the spool in general comprises an upper flange 40, a lower flange 41, a reel, generally indicated at 42, and a pair of ribbon anchor posts ,3 and 44, these parts being integrally molded from a suitable plastic material. This spool is also provided with the reversing lever 24 described hereinabove.

As shown in FIGURE 10, reel 42 includes a hollow core 45 and a pair of arcuate end walls 46 and 47 providing winding surfaces 46a and 47a which are concentric with core 45 and are integrally interconnected therewith by a pair of spaced walls 48 and 49. These walls are preferably but not necessarily flat and accordingly provide opposed recesses 50 and 51 in which anchor posts 43 and 44 are respectively disposed.

The outer surfaces 43a and 44a of posts are preferably arcuate, preferably having the same radius as reel surfaces 46a and 47a thus providing additional winding surfaces for the ribbon. As posts 43 and 44 are identical in construction and operation, only post 43 will be described in detail. Thus post 43 is preferably substantially triangular with its apex edge 43b being suitably spaced from wall 49 to provide ample room for the reception of a ribbon end. Post 43 also includes what might be termed base edges 43c and 43d, these several edges 43!), 43c and 431! being parallel and joining the inner opposed surfaces of flanges 4t) and 41. These are the frictional ribbon engaging edges of post 43 and may be dentate or edentate. Preferably, however, edge 43b is dentate through the provision of a series of conical projections 52. which extend outwardly from sides 43e and 43 of post 43 adjacent edge 43b. The dentation of edge 43b may be otherwise provided as desired. Similarly post 44 has frictional ribbon engaging edges 44b, 44c, and 44d with projections 52 lying along the opposite sides of edge 4412. Posts 43 and 44 are angularly displaced 180 from one another and 90 from reversing lever 24.

The intersecting surfaces of reel walls 4-8 and 49 and winding surfaces 46a and 47m form frictional ribbon engaging edges 42a, 42b, 42c and 42d which may be smooth but which preferably are dentate through the provision of teeth or projections 53 which may be similar to projections 52 and which preferably project from surfaces 46a and 47a of reel 42 adjacent the vertical edges thereof. Other means for providing the dentation of these edges may, of course, be resorted to as desired.

It will now appear that each of posts 43 and 44 is provided with three frictional ribbon engaging edges while reel 42 has four such edges which coact securely to anchor a ribbon to the spool in a manner now to be described.

The operator grasps an empty spool in one hand, the left, for example, and a loaded spool in the right hand with the free unlooped end of the inked ribbon dangling loosely from the loaded spool. The two spools are then manipulated so as to thread the free ribbon end between post 44 and reel wall 48. This post and wall are employed when the empty spool is the left hand one whereas post 43 and reel wall 49 are used when the empty spool is on the right. After the ribbon end has been so threaded that it lies well below reel edge 42d the empty spool may be rotated clockwise so that the run X of the ribbon overlies the free end P of the ribbon loop L and presses or snubs it against teeth 53 at edges 42d and 42c and winding surface 46a on reel wall '46. At the same time, the spool rotation draws the inner sides of loop L against post edges 44b, 44c and '44d so that with the ribbon wound on the spool to the extent shown in FIGURE 10, the ribbon is pressed against five frictional ribbon engaging edges and any relative movement between the ribbon and spool is positively precluded. Indeed such relative movement is impossible after the ribbon has engaged reel edge 42d. If the empty spool is on the right hand, spool loading rotation is counterclockwise. -In either event, however, it will now appear that the ribbon can be securely anchored to the spool without the operator touching the ribbon at any time. It should also be noted that because the spool can be threaded as described it is unnecessary to provide an access opening in the upper flange 40 of the spool similar to access opening a (FIGURE 1). This, coupled with the integral relationship of all the spool elements results in an extremely rigid and accordingly durable spool.

When the ribbon is being unwound from the spool during the normal operation of the machine, it will eventually disengage lever 24, thus permitting the lever to actuate the spool reversing mechanism. However the point of lever disengagement is so angularly remote from the several points of engagement of the ribbon with the several frictional ribbon engaging edges, spool rotation will be reversed long before the ribbon is sufliciently unwound to break the ribbon anchor.

It will now appear that a typewriter ribbon spool has been provided that attains the several objects set forth above in a thoroughly practical and eflicient manner.

As many different embodiments of the invention are possible and as many modifications of the embodiments disclosed herein could be made, it should be understood that the foregoing should be interpreted as illustrative, the scope of the invention being defined in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. As an article of manufacture, a spool for an inked ribbon comprising the combination of:

a reel axially disposed between a pair of flanges, said reel having opposed parallel ribbon channel forming sides joined by opposed ribbon supporting surfaces,

a pair of ribbon anchor posts disposed between said flanges adjacent said channel forming sides and spaced therefrom to define a pair of straight ribbon channels,

and a frictional engaging portion on each post facing its channel side whereby the free end of a ribbon may be passed through either of said channels to engage said frictional portion of one post and a portion of one ribbon supporting surface so that the run of said ribbon may be tau-tly wound upon said free end to force it against said one ribbon supporting surface.

2. A spool according to claim 1 wherein the frictional engaging portion of each anchor post comprises serrations in the form of pointed teeth.

'3. As an article of manufacture, a spool for an inked ribbon comprising:

a reel,

a pair of flanges,

said reel being disposed concentrically between said flanges and of substantially less diameter than said flanges and having opposed parallel ribbon channel forming sides joined by opposed ribbon supporting surfaces,

a ribbon spool reversing lever pivotally mounted on said spool and having an arm movable toward and from one of said ribbon supporting surfaces,

a pair of ribbon anchor posts disposed between said flanges adjacent said channel forming sides and spaced therefrom to provide a pair of straight ribbon channels,

and a frictional engaging portion on each post facing its channel side whereby the free end of a ribbon can be passed through either of said channels to engage said frictional portion of one post and at least a portion of one ribbon supporting surface so that the run of said ribbon may be tautly wound upon said free end to force it against said one ribbon supporting surface without touching the ribbon by hand.

4. A spool according to claim 3 wherein the entry ends of said ribbon channels are substantially wider than the mid portions thereof.

5. A spool according to claim 3 wherein serrated frictional engaging portions are provided at the juncture of said opposed parallel ribbon channel forming sides and said opposed ribbon supporting surfaces.

6. A spool according to claim 1 wherein said ribbon anchor posts are substantially triangular in cross section and wherein their frictional engaging portions face their respective channel forming sides.

7. A one-piece molded spool for winding an inked ribbon thereon comprising, in combination:

at least one flange having a reel concentrically disposed thereon,

said reel having at least one channel forming side and a ribbon supporting surface,

at least one ribbon anchor post located adjacent said channel forming side and spaced therefrom to provide a straight ribbon channel midway the ends of said side,

and -a serrated frictional engaging portion on said post facing said channel side whereby the free end of a ribbon can be inserted into said channel to engage said frictional post portion and a portion of said ribbon supporting surface so that the run of said ribbon may be tautly wound upon said free end to thereby force it against a portion of said supporting surface before the run of said ribbon completely covers the remainder of said ribbon supporting surface.

8. A spool according to claim 7 wherein said spool is provided with a pivotally mounted ribbon spool reversing References Cited in the file of this patent lever having an arm movable toward and from said rib- Supporting surface UNITED STATES PATENTS 9. In an integral molded plastic typewriter ribbon spool 752,210 Diss 16 1904 including at least one flange and a concentric reel of 5 821117 Olmsted May 1906 lesser diameter than the flange, that improvement which 2 486473 Hart Nov 1949 comprises means forming a planar ribbon receivin chanu nel in said reel, the plane of which is parallel mo and 29692O3 Mohrlant 1961 spaced from the axis of said reel, said means including a FOREIGN PATENTS frictional ribbon engaging portion located between the 10 ends of said channel. 991,991 France June 27, 1951 

1. AS AN ARTICLE OF MANUFACTURE, A SPOOL FOR AN INKED RIBBON COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF: A REEL AXIALLY DISPOSED BETWEEN A PAIR OF FLANGES, SAID REEL HAVING OPPOSED PARALLEL RIBBON CHANNEL FORMING SIDES JOINED BY OPPOSED RIBBON SUPPORTING SURFACES, A PAIR OF RIBBON ANCHOR POSTS DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID FLANGES ADJACENT SAID CHANNEL FORMING SIDES AND SPACED THEREFROM TO DEFINE A PAIR OF STRAIGHT RIBBON CHANNELS, AND A FRICTIONAL ENGAGING PORTION ON EACH POST FACING ITS CHANNEL SIDE WHEREBY THE FREE END OF A RIBBON MAY BE PASSED THROUGH EITHER OF SAID CHANNELS TO ENGAGE SAID FRICTIONAL PORTION OF ONE POST AND A PORTION OF ONE RIBBON SUPPORTING SURFACE SO THAT THE RUN OF SAID RIBBON MAY BE TAUTLY WOUND UPON SAID FREE END TO FORCE IT AGAINST SAID ONE RIBBON SUPPORTING SURFACE. 